Find out how popular the last name Shahbaz is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Shahbaz.

Shahbaz, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Shahbaz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Shahbaz in America

Shahbaz is the 43732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Shahbaz surname appeared 493 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Shahbaz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Shahbaz to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Shahbaz

The surname SHAHBAZ is of Persian origin, with its roots tracing back to the 10th century AD. It is derived from the Persian word "shahbaz," which translates to "falcon king" or "royal falcon." The name was initially associated with falconry, a popular sport among the nobles and royalty of the Persian Empire.

The earliest recorded instances of the name SHAHBAZ can be found in historical manuscripts and documents from the region of Persia, now modern-day Iran. One notable mention is in the works of the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi, who lived from 940 to 1020 AD. In his epic poem, the Shahnameh, Ferdowsi references a character named Shahbaz, indicating the use of the name during that time period.

During the Safavid Dynasty (1501-1736), which ruled over Persia, the name SHAHBAZ gained prominence among the nobility and elite classes. It was often bestowed upon individuals who excelled in falconry or displayed exceptional skill in hunting with falcons. Several historical figures from this era bore the surname SHAHBAZ, including Shahbaz Khan, a renowned military commander who served under Shah Abbas I (1571-1629).

The name SHAHBAZ also appears in various historical records and documents from the Mughal Empire, which ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent from the 16th to the 19th century. One notable figure was Shahbaz Khan Khambayat (1589-1645), a Mughal noble and governor of Gujarat.

Over time, the name SHAHBAZ spread beyond Persia and the Middle East, finding its way into other regions and cultures. In the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire, which spanned parts of Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa, had individuals bearing the name SHAHBAZ. One such figure was Shahbaz Pasha, an Ottoman statesman and governor of Egypt in the late 16th century.

Another notable bearer of the surname SHAHBAZ was Shahbaz Khan Khilji (1616-1668), a Mughal general and governor of Kabul and Multan. He played a significant role in the expansion of the Mughal Empire during the reign of Shah Jahan.

In more recent history, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1928-1979), the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, bestowed the title "Shahbaz" upon his son, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif (born 1949), who later became the Prime Minister of Pakistan himself. The name SHAHBAZ was adopted as a middle name, reflecting the family's pride in their heritage and the historical significance of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Shahbaz

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Shahbaz.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Shahbaz was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Shahbaz has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Shahbaz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shahbaz, please contact us.

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